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Substitute Bride
From the back cover of the 1983 Harlequin edition:
"I'll marry you instead," he told her
Rick Conway would go to any lengths to get his revenge on Emma's beautiful but faithless cousin. And though Emma was thunderstruck and offended at his cold proposal, she soon overcame her scruples.
It would be a temporary arrangement, Rick claimed, and it would be a way of escaping her life of impoverished drudgery.
All Emma had to do was sustain her dislike of him. And that was when her problems began!
"I'll marry you instead," he told her
Rick Conway would go to any lengths to get his revenge on Emma's beautiful but faithless cousin. And though Emma was thunderstruck and offended at his cold proposal, she soon overcame her scruples.
It would be a temporary arrangement, Rick claimed, and it would be a way of escaping her life of impoverished drudgery.
All Emma had to do was sustain her dislike of him. And that was when her problems began!
187 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 1981
14 people are currently reading
545 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Pargeter
104 books73 followersMargaret Pargeter was a popular writer of 50 romance novels in Mills & Boon from 1975 to 1986.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
March 3, 2017
Ok I will admit I loved this book.
The story was great and I love the fact that he is surprised by her improved appearances. She was recovering from her horrible home life and he was the guy that helped her get away from it all.
He was an arrogant ass but considering the time this book was written in, it's not bad!
I enjoyed the WTFery!
But it's not for everyone.
Sexism and double standards are all over the pages of this book!
The story was great and I love the fact that he is surprised by her improved appearances. She was recovering from her horrible home life and he was the guy that helped her get away from it all.
He was an arrogant ass but considering the time this book was written in, it's not bad!
I enjoyed the WTFery!
But it's not for everyone.
Sexism and double standards are all over the pages of this book!
March 3, 2017
OK, this is scary. I rated this three stars the first time I read it. Why? I. Do. Not. Know. This is an angst fest with an asshat of such epic proportions that it could easily be a 4 star for those of you old-skool fans. It's not often than you get such a SOB rat bastard paired up with such a spineless wuss of a doormat h.
The male protagonist, hardly qualifies as an H, needs to die a slow and painful death. Getting staked to an ant hill is too easy for this bastard. When he first meets the downtrodden, almost starving martyred Cinderella h, he tells her how plain she is. Not just once. Oh no, he drives it home. This while waiting for his lying, bitchy tramp of a fiancee, the evil step-cousin to Cindy-Mary Sue. The evil one arrives with her smarmy boy-toy and makes the stupid one pretend to be the one dating said boy-toy.
After some dancing, and some more lying, the H gets a clue that his darling is not his darling since she's snuck off to Paris to have a dirty weekend with the boy-toy. The H strong arms, literally strong arms, the h into marrying him. He wants REVENGE and doesn't want to be embarrassed when he returns to his island and doesn't have a bride. In a brief lucid moment, the h says why not say that YOU changed your mind about marrying. That's too easy. Why insert rational thought into the story at this point anyway.
Some really heartwarming and charming slut-shaming happens which the idiot h could have stopped if she had just said, "No, really I'm not a slut. I'm the downtrodden worker bee of the farm. That boy-toy that talked smack about me was HER boy toy." But she doesn't. We find out later that this was her opportunity to leave the farm.
Back at the island, the H stands by while his stepmother and stepsister sneer at the h at ever opportunity as well as all his friends. After a party where he virtually ignores her, she realizes she may be falling in love. Shoot me now! Right now!
He leaves for Canada. While gone she gains back some of the weight she lost working herself to a frazzle on the family farm, and men fall out of the trees to fall in love with her. This includes the H's stepbrother. None of the women on the island happy about this including the in your face OW.
More stupid crap happens I don't care to go into, but the H's opinion slips even lower if that's possible, and he ships her to an even more remote island. She's okay with it 'cause it's not like anyone other than her swains are nice to her, and they are getting too handsy and want to marry her.
The H arrives and does another round of, "You evil slut," then a forced seduction (you say forced seduction; I say rape. Potato, patahto, let's call the whole thing off). Yeah, I know, eye roll. It took him long enough. She succumbs to the mastery of it all, and he realizes that he's made a big mistake because apparently her hymen was intact. The next day he is actually polite, nice. It's such a turnaround the heroine is more than a little suspicious of his motives. One could hardly blame her as he hasn't had one nice thing to say to her when he is not ignoring her. The ubiquitous evil other woman shows up with his bitchy step-sis and all hell eventually breaks loose. Then HEA.
Just once, just once I wanted the h to lean over to the step-whatever or evil OW and say, Why are you such a bitch? Forget the H. He was irredeemable.
The male protagonist, hardly qualifies as an H, needs to die a slow and painful death. Getting staked to an ant hill is too easy for this bastard. When he first meets the downtrodden, almost starving martyred Cinderella h, he tells her how plain she is. Not just once. Oh no, he drives it home. This while waiting for his lying, bitchy tramp of a fiancee, the evil step-cousin to Cindy-Mary Sue. The evil one arrives with her smarmy boy-toy and makes the stupid one pretend to be the one dating said boy-toy.
After some dancing, and some more lying, the H gets a clue that his darling is not his darling since she's snuck off to Paris to have a dirty weekend with the boy-toy. The H strong arms, literally strong arms, the h into marrying him. He wants REVENGE and doesn't want to be embarrassed when he returns to his island and doesn't have a bride. In a brief lucid moment, the h says why not say that YOU changed your mind about marrying. That's too easy. Why insert rational thought into the story at this point anyway.
Some really heartwarming and charming slut-shaming happens which the idiot h could have stopped if she had just said, "No, really I'm not a slut. I'm the downtrodden worker bee of the farm. That boy-toy that talked smack about me was HER boy toy." But she doesn't. We find out later that this was her opportunity to leave the farm.
Back at the island, the H stands by while his stepmother and stepsister sneer at the h at ever opportunity as well as all his friends. After a party where he virtually ignores her, she realizes she may be falling in love. Shoot me now! Right now!
He leaves for Canada. While gone she gains back some of the weight she lost working herself to a frazzle on the family farm, and men fall out of the trees to fall in love with her. This includes the H's stepbrother. None of the women on the island happy about this including the in your face OW.
More stupid crap happens I don't care to go into, but the H's opinion slips even lower if that's possible, and he ships her to an even more remote island. She's okay with it 'cause it's not like anyone other than her swains are nice to her, and they are getting too handsy and want to marry her.
The H arrives and does another round of, "You evil slut," then a forced seduction (you say forced seduction; I say rape. Potato, patahto, let's call the whole thing off). Yeah, I know, eye roll. It took him long enough. She succumbs to the mastery of it all, and he realizes that he's made a big mistake because apparently her hymen was intact. The next day he is actually polite, nice. It's such a turnaround the heroine is more than a little suspicious of his motives. One could hardly blame her as he hasn't had one nice thing to say to her when he is not ignoring her. The ubiquitous evil other woman shows up with his bitchy step-sis and all hell eventually breaks loose. Then HEA.
Just once, just once I wanted the h to lean over to the step-whatever or evil OW and say, Why are you such a bitch? Forget the H. He was irredeemable.
September 11, 2010
I am really glad someone recommended Goodreads to me. I used to keep a writing journal, but I think I missed a few entries. This is the third book within a few months that I accidentally reread because I hadn't written down that I read it. I realized on the first page that I had already read it, but it was involving, so I thought, "What the heck."
Substitute Bride was published in 1981 (I was eight when it came out!), and that's apparent when you read it. However, it isn't trite and dated in my opinion. I was drawn into this story of Emma, who is a Cinderella. Her father died and she had to go live with his sister and her promiscuous, scheming daughter, who is engaged to be married to cold and dangerous Rick Conway, a rich plantation owner from Barbados. She's running around with another man behind his back, and makes Emma cover up for her.
When Emma meets Rick, it's instant dislike. Rick isn't a very nice guy, and he's very dismissive of Emma. Also, Blanche has been telling untrue tales of Emma, who is too busy running the farm to do all the running around and partying that Blanche has told Rick that she's up to. Because of working so hard all the time, she's pale and thin, and not looking her best. For a man who with an eye for beautiful women like Rick, she's easy to look through (or so he acts).
Blanche has gown out with her in-town squeeze, Rex, and told Emma to lie about it. But Rick shows up unexpectedly, and Blanche brings Rex home with her. Blanche makes it seem like the sleazy nightclub owner Rex is dating Emma, and Emma is forced to play along with it. This contributes to Rick's poor opinion of her. He says some rude things to her and kisses her brutally, then he stalks off with Blanche. Emma has decided that she wants nothing to do with this guy again, and talked her aunt out of being invited to the wedding (rather easily since her aunt wants to save the money anyway).
Rick is supposed to be in Australia for an extended time, so Blanche goes off to Paris with Rex, and threatens Emma into lying that she's off with their sick and dying relative. However, Rick shows up and spanks (yes he does, hard to believe as it is) the truth out of Emma. Let me tell you, nothing annoys me more than a hero spanking the heroine like she's a child. Emma is too scared of Rick to give him the butt-kicking he deserves. He railroads her into marrying him and going to Paris with him to show Blanche what she gave up. Emma decides that her bridges are burned with her family and uses this marriage of convenience as an opportunity to escape from the farm and start a life for herself. She knows that Rick holds her in comtempt, but she's not too fond of him either. As long as he keeps his distance, she can handle it until he divorces her.
Rick drags Emma to Paris for the confrontation (and a mini-makeover and shopping spree), and then off to Barbados. Emma's health and looks improve as she is able to rest and eat good food, even though Rick ignores her and she's contantly digged at by his mother and sister. He goes out of town a lot for business, as well. Rick's younger brother Ben takes a liking to Emma, which provides some friendship. The trouble is Ben starts to develop feelings for her, which she doesn't return, since she has started to fall in love with her husband. Soon Miles, who is the brother of one of Rick's flames, also takes a shine to her. Rick shows up to see the two men fighting over his wife, and he decides to take her to his remote island for revenge, although Emma likes it there. He also decides to make their marriage a real one, discovering some truths about Emma and his feelings for along the way.
This is standard vintage Harlequin Presents fare. These books entertain me. I feel no shame about it. The writing is good, and the characters are well-developed. I like the sights and scenes, with the exotic locales. These are my soap operas--good drama doses. I thought that Rick was a real jerk initially. He did come around by the end of the book, but he needed someone who was tougher than him to show him how a bullied person feels. It makes you wonder why people can't see what's right in front of their faces. But a proud, hard man like him wouldn't want to fall in love with a simple girl like Emma, and he fought it pretty hard. Emma was a nice person, too nice for him. The good thing is he figures that out before it's too late, and determines to show her that he can love her the way she deserves.
Substitute Bride was published in 1981 (I was eight when it came out!), and that's apparent when you read it. However, it isn't trite and dated in my opinion. I was drawn into this story of Emma, who is a Cinderella. Her father died and she had to go live with his sister and her promiscuous, scheming daughter, who is engaged to be married to cold and dangerous Rick Conway, a rich plantation owner from Barbados. She's running around with another man behind his back, and makes Emma cover up for her.
When Emma meets Rick, it's instant dislike. Rick isn't a very nice guy, and he's very dismissive of Emma. Also, Blanche has been telling untrue tales of Emma, who is too busy running the farm to do all the running around and partying that Blanche has told Rick that she's up to. Because of working so hard all the time, she's pale and thin, and not looking her best. For a man who with an eye for beautiful women like Rick, she's easy to look through (or so he acts).
Blanche has gown out with her in-town squeeze, Rex, and told Emma to lie about it. But Rick shows up unexpectedly, and Blanche brings Rex home with her. Blanche makes it seem like the sleazy nightclub owner Rex is dating Emma, and Emma is forced to play along with it. This contributes to Rick's poor opinion of her. He says some rude things to her and kisses her brutally, then he stalks off with Blanche. Emma has decided that she wants nothing to do with this guy again, and talked her aunt out of being invited to the wedding (rather easily since her aunt wants to save the money anyway).
Rick is supposed to be in Australia for an extended time, so Blanche goes off to Paris with Rex, and threatens Emma into lying that she's off with their sick and dying relative. However, Rick shows up and spanks (yes he does, hard to believe as it is) the truth out of Emma. Let me tell you, nothing annoys me more than a hero spanking the heroine like she's a child. Emma is too scared of Rick to give him the butt-kicking he deserves. He railroads her into marrying him and going to Paris with him to show Blanche what she gave up. Emma decides that her bridges are burned with her family and uses this marriage of convenience as an opportunity to escape from the farm and start a life for herself. She knows that Rick holds her in comtempt, but she's not too fond of him either. As long as he keeps his distance, she can handle it until he divorces her.
Rick drags Emma to Paris for the confrontation (and a mini-makeover and shopping spree), and then off to Barbados. Emma's health and looks improve as she is able to rest and eat good food, even though Rick ignores her and she's contantly digged at by his mother and sister. He goes out of town a lot for business, as well. Rick's younger brother Ben takes a liking to Emma, which provides some friendship. The trouble is Ben starts to develop feelings for her, which she doesn't return, since she has started to fall in love with her husband. Soon Miles, who is the brother of one of Rick's flames, also takes a shine to her. Rick shows up to see the two men fighting over his wife, and he decides to take her to his remote island for revenge, although Emma likes it there. He also decides to make their marriage a real one, discovering some truths about Emma and his feelings for along the way.
This is standard vintage Harlequin Presents fare. These books entertain me. I feel no shame about it. The writing is good, and the characters are well-developed. I like the sights and scenes, with the exotic locales. These are my soap operas--good drama doses. I thought that Rick was a real jerk initially. He did come around by the end of the book, but he needed someone who was tougher than him to show him how a bullied person feels. It makes you wonder why people can't see what's right in front of their faces. But a proud, hard man like him wouldn't want to fall in love with a simple girl like Emma, and he fought it pretty hard. Emma was a nice person, too nice for him. The good thing is he figures that out before it's too late, and determines to show her that he can love her the way she deserves.
January 24, 2016
3 1/2 stars. I won't go into the crazy plot because other reviewers have covered all the bases. I will say that the fantasy that good skin care will turn you from plain to beautiful would have been catnip to my teenage-self. Even now I'm tempted to run out and buy some Noxema or Bonnie Bell (what we used in the 1970's)- although I would put myself at risk for punishing kisses, bruises on my arms, and a vigorous spanking.
As you might guess, this is old school Harlequin -more specifically, this is old school Margaret Pargeter. Heroine is 19 and a doormat and hero is 30 something and a bully. If this is your crack, this is your book.
As you might guess, this is old school Harlequin -more specifically, this is old school Margaret Pargeter. Heroine is 19 and a doormat and hero is 30 something and a bully. If this is your crack, this is your book.
December 13, 2022
**Some SPOILERS**
The Good:
Liked the drama. Liked the mix storylines of Cinderella and Ugly Duckling.
MEH or the BAD:
Dyfunctional romance thus iffy HEA. Too much focus on 19yo virgin h’s plain & skinny look. 35yo Barbados plantation-owner H kept making comments on h’s plain looks & how it must be something else (namely, her sexual experience) that’s attracting other men.
Their love declarations were superficial since they hardly knew each other--with H mostly insulting her looks & h fighting with him. their 7-week separation a couple days after their wedding didn't help. Her love feelings for H was her mistaking her hormones & physical attraction for romantic love. H’s love for h seemed borne out of his feelings of competition with other men who are now vying for prettier-h’s affections. Their attraction was lust-based coupled with their own personal issues (her with her loneliness & insecurities from being an orphan to a Cinderella-type maid to her mean Aunt & model cousin and H with his control-power issues).
Hated that H seemed to only look at h 2x after she gained curves & improved her looks via salon treatments while he was away for 7 weeks. He was just a cruel bully and was never really endearing.
Lacked emotionality & romance. Sexual tension was awkward.
Sexual History:
19yo h had never dated or been kissed before until H. She got devirginized by 35yo H via rape (but she kinda stopped towards the end & then orgasmed so 90% rape) 7 weeks after their wedding coz he got jealous & possessive after he heard news re: h’s popularity with some men in the island. No direct apologies for raping her but some indirect apologies for previously misjudging her as a “slut”. He did soften up to her after but still made sure she knew her limits with him.
H was engaged to h’s model cousin (OW) for months before he pushed h towards an arranged marriage with him as his revenge against OW cheating on him with another man. He was attracted to OW and enjoyed a sexual relationship with her and was a convenient pick to have kids with until he caught her cheating on him. He told h he hadn’t been with any other woman since he married her, including the 7 weeks he was away from her. Could be true.
The Good:
Liked the drama. Liked the mix storylines of Cinderella and Ugly Duckling.
MEH or the BAD:
Dyfunctional romance thus iffy HEA. Too much focus on 19yo virgin h’s plain & skinny look. 35yo Barbados plantation-owner H kept making comments on h’s plain looks & how it must be something else (namely, her sexual experience) that’s attracting other men.
Their love declarations were superficial since they hardly knew each other--with H mostly insulting her looks & h fighting with him. their 7-week separation a couple days after their wedding didn't help. Her love feelings for H was her mistaking her hormones & physical attraction for romantic love. H’s love for h seemed borne out of his feelings of competition with other men who are now vying for prettier-h’s affections. Their attraction was lust-based coupled with their own personal issues (her with her loneliness & insecurities from being an orphan to a Cinderella-type maid to her mean Aunt & model cousin and H with his control-power issues).
Hated that H seemed to only look at h 2x after she gained curves & improved her looks via salon treatments while he was away for 7 weeks. He was just a cruel bully and was never really endearing.
Lacked emotionality & romance. Sexual tension was awkward.
Sexual History:
19yo h had never dated or been kissed before until H. She got devirginized by 35yo H via rape (but she kinda stopped towards the end & then orgasmed so 90% rape) 7 weeks after their wedding coz he got jealous & possessive after he heard news re: h’s popularity with some men in the island. No direct apologies for raping her but some indirect apologies for previously misjudging her as a “slut”. He did soften up to her after but still made sure she knew her limits with him.
H was engaged to h’s model cousin (OW) for months before he pushed h towards an arranged marriage with him as his revenge against OW cheating on him with another man. He was attracted to OW and enjoyed a sexual relationship with her and was a convenient pick to have kids with until he caught her cheating on him. He told h he hadn’t been with any other woman since he married her, including the 7 weeks he was away from her. Could be true.
May 12, 2016
I know this is an oldie romance and I get it that heroes back then can get away with being a misogynistic jerk, but is it too much to ask for a believable plot, a heroine with a spine and a hero who grovels properly?
March 2, 2017
Spineless and pathetic "heroine"!
Re reading this let me see if I still feel the same way as before.
Opinion has not changed after reading again!
Re reading this let me see if I still feel the same way as before.
Opinion has not changed after reading again!
June 16, 2024
The only redeeming part of this story of a spineless heroine and a slut-shaming hero in a marriage of convenience is that he finally tells off the OW... after she stupidly confesses to setting up the heroine to look like a slut (by leaving OM's bracelet in heroine's bedroom EGADS). Probably he would have continued flirting with her and letting her belittle the heroine if it wasn't for that little nugget. As it is, he doesn't mince his words telling OW he is kicking her off his island and there was never anything between them anyway. The heroine, instead of savouring this scene, runs off to lose herself in the grassy fields of the island and cry herself into a coma. Eedjit!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 12, 2020
Silly and naive (Virgin) heroine + arrogant and jealous hero + stupid assumtions + lots of angst = 4 stars HPlandia book. It’s a near perfect oldie. I really liked it. :))
November 4, 2021
Ok, no really I know that I should not say it, but I love this book!
Of course it’s not your typical romance, if you’re looking for a hero you love and a heroine you admire well that’s not really your thing!
There’s more romanticism between the heroine and all her other men than between her and the hero, and that’s all I have to say in the matter.
But it’s such a ludicrous, hilarious, absolutely absurd story that I couldn’t stop laughing all the time.
Mind, not even an ounce of angst in my opinion, despite the tragic situations that our poor heroine has to face.
- she’s a typical Cinderella, with her aunt and her cousin enslaving her.
She’s worn out, underdeveloped, skinny and dirty because she has to cook, clean, look after the cattle all while her cousin play model and her aunt goes out shopping.
- the hero is her cousins fiancé and finds out his engaged is cheating on him with a man he thinks she’s the heroine’s boyfriend. So he offers marriage to the heroine to get even with their ex.
The heroine accepts this MOC, if only to escape her miserable situation.
After marriage he takes her to his house in Barbados ( you lucky thaaaaang!)
And there lil miss sunshine blooms like a rose in may.
Oh, the hero. I hated him on sight because, as soon as he met the heroine, dirty, skinny and exhausted, started making nasty remarks about her looks, telling her how plain and undesirable she was.
Now the reason why a man of 35 should be such a pig to a teenager he only met once I don’t really know, I can only think he’s such a rude hillbilly or such a hick that he ignore the basic rule of common good behavior.
Oh and the body- shaming together with the slut shaming goes on and on through almost all the book.
But there’s hope for us.
Because after some weeks’ rest and good food and basically what’s a long and deserved holiday in that paradise, our heroine turns out to be not only a pretty woman but a real knockout, so eventually she has all men in the island throwing themselves at her feet and everyone wants to marry her, even if she’s already married.
There’s also a big row between two of her men that she tries to stop but she’s punched and hurt instead, and she’s all bruised but the men don’t realize that! oh that scene! I so loved it.
Then more slut shaming and misunderstandings and then eventually they declares their love.
Oh, the hero loved her forever even in her plainness and grubbitude and was so faithful to her since he met her, if you’re interested.
I’m not.
Because the man was the most horrible character of all the story, and guess who’s in love with him? But the heroine of course, that he treated like dirt from the start and for no reason.
The heroine was the most clueless and masochist woman I’ve ever met in a romance. Of all the om she had at her feet she chose the monster! Yey!
Well, if you like very old school romance with very rude hero and spineless heroine, with spanking, punching and lot of forced kissing, multiple ow/om and BMs, and you have sense of humor and don’t take things too seriously, well you can have fun reading this.
I know I may seem unsympathetic but really, it’s impossible to be sympathetic to such a doormat with no sense of preservation and who in a room full of good and charming guys is still able to choose the only bad one.
Ps: for this book I had to add a new tag: S**t I love to read.
Fully deserved.
Of course it’s not your typical romance, if you’re looking for a hero you love and a heroine you admire well that’s not really your thing!
There’s more romanticism between the heroine and all her other men than between her and the hero, and that’s all I have to say in the matter.
But it’s such a ludicrous, hilarious, absolutely absurd story that I couldn’t stop laughing all the time.
Mind, not even an ounce of angst in my opinion, despite the tragic situations that our poor heroine has to face.
- she’s a typical Cinderella, with her aunt and her cousin enslaving her.
She’s worn out, underdeveloped, skinny and dirty because she has to cook, clean, look after the cattle all while her cousin play model and her aunt goes out shopping.
- the hero is her cousins fiancé and finds out his engaged is cheating on him with a man he thinks she’s the heroine’s boyfriend. So he offers marriage to the heroine to get even with their ex.
The heroine accepts this MOC, if only to escape her miserable situation.
After marriage he takes her to his house in Barbados ( you lucky thaaaaang!)
And there lil miss sunshine blooms like a rose in may.
Oh, the hero. I hated him on sight because, as soon as he met the heroine, dirty, skinny and exhausted, started making nasty remarks about her looks, telling her how plain and undesirable she was.
Now the reason why a man of 35 should be such a pig to a teenager he only met once I don’t really know, I can only think he’s such a rude hillbilly or such a hick that he ignore the basic rule of common good behavior.
Oh and the body- shaming together with the slut shaming goes on and on through almost all the book.
But there’s hope for us.
Because after some weeks’ rest and good food and basically what’s a long and deserved holiday in that paradise, our heroine turns out to be not only a pretty woman but a real knockout, so eventually she has all men in the island throwing themselves at her feet and everyone wants to marry her, even if she’s already married.
There’s also a big row between two of her men that she tries to stop but she’s punched and hurt instead, and she’s all bruised but the men don’t realize that! oh that scene! I so loved it.
Then more slut shaming and misunderstandings and then eventually they declares their love.
Oh, the hero loved her forever even in her plainness and grubbitude and was so faithful to her since he met her, if you’re interested.
I’m not.
Because the man was the most horrible character of all the story, and guess who’s in love with him? But the heroine of course, that he treated like dirt from the start and for no reason.
The heroine was the most clueless and masochist woman I’ve ever met in a romance. Of all the om she had at her feet she chose the monster! Yey!
Well, if you like very old school romance with very rude hero and spineless heroine, with spanking, punching and lot of forced kissing, multiple ow/om and BMs, and you have sense of humor and don’t take things too seriously, well you can have fun reading this.
I know I may seem unsympathetic but really, it’s impossible to be sympathetic to such a doormat with no sense of preservation and who in a room full of good and charming guys is still able to choose the only bad one.
Ps: for this book I had to add a new tag: S**t I love to read.
Fully deserved.
December 21, 2013
Hero was a major putz who thought he had the right to do and say anything he liked to the heroine because he thought she slept with someone.
90% of the book was him calling her an ugly slut, yet she falls madly in love without the benefit of one non-derogatory comment! A more pathetic heroine would be a hard find...though I know they're out there.
And I'm suppose to believe all that emotional and psychological abuse was because he was fighting his growing feelings for her? Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!
90% of the book was him calling her an ugly slut, yet she falls madly in love without the benefit of one non-derogatory comment! A more pathetic heroine would be a hard find...though I know they're out there.
And I'm suppose to believe all that emotional and psychological abuse was because he was fighting his growing feelings for her? Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2012
This isn't really a 5-star book by any modern romance standard, but it was kind of awesome for what it was. Good angst, fun misunderstanding, and then good hero groveling at the end. Love these idiotic old premises where a 19-year-old heroine who is actually quite beautiful is somehow rendered "plain" (and so plain that multiple people feel free to tell her that to her face) by hard farm work. And when she just relaxes a bit, eats a little more (all of that food apparently goes straight to her breasts), and has a few facials, she's suddenly drop-dead gorgeous. Anyway, this one is pure fun (in a terrible 1980s romance way, complete with spanking), and made me smile -- I enjoyed it.
July 21, 2023
"I can remember the feel and taste of you. I can understand how any man might find you irresistible. And you have to believe that once he’s tasted the honey a man might become maddened for more."
-Rick
***
I cannot remember how long this precious harlequin story has been on my TBR but oh am i glad i finally picked it up. Margaret Pargeter writes wonderfully and manages to convey the deep longing, ache and the bond of romance between two very different characters, the very much cynical and domineering male hero Rick Conway and the very soft hearted female heroine Emma Davis who is the very Cinderella herself. The title to this story conveys that Emma is the substitute bride for her mean and selfish cousin Blanche but in the true sense she became the one and only true love for Rick. So many misunderstandings and bitterness between the mainleads with their pride coming between them, but i saw them loving each other with the same passion already from the start. I am so happy i read this, Pargeter always delivers.
-Rick
***
I cannot remember how long this precious harlequin story has been on my TBR but oh am i glad i finally picked it up. Margaret Pargeter writes wonderfully and manages to convey the deep longing, ache and the bond of romance between two very different characters, the very much cynical and domineering male hero Rick Conway and the very soft hearted female heroine Emma Davis who is the very Cinderella herself. The title to this story conveys that Emma is the substitute bride for her mean and selfish cousin Blanche but in the true sense she became the one and only true love for Rick. So many misunderstandings and bitterness between the mainleads with their pride coming between them, but i saw them loving each other with the same passion already from the start. I am so happy i read this, Pargeter always delivers.
October 9, 2018
I just couldn't stop reading. Why couldn't I stop reading? WHY‽‽‽‽
June 26, 2013
Rick is engaged to Emma's femme fatale cousin but when he finds out she is a faithless bitch he wants revenge. He proposes marriage to poor plain Emma and she accepts so as to escape her miserable penniless existence. This was a Cinderella girl meets her prince charming story. It was well written and the heroine was a sweetheart too good for this alpha hero. Too many characters and too many plot twists kept me from loving this book. I needed more focus on the romance.
April 12, 2019
"Substitute Bride" is the story of Emma and Rick.
Umm..Nah.
Basically, our h is a plain looking waif. She was a rich orphan, who got taken in by her uncle- who soon passed away, handing her down to his evil wife and daughter. They treat her dirt and keep her at their farm as hired help. When her model cousin gets engaged to our H, the h is relieved as she'd soon be free of her barbs and taunts. But the cousin seems to be cheating on the H with OM (while telling the H that OM is h's boyfriend)- and soon the H catches up- and forces h to marry him.
He whisks her away to Barbados, forces her to get a makeover, dumps his shitty stepsister and stepmother on her, taunts OW at her faces and abandons her as she's too plain and ugly.The *cough* stupid *cough* h is in love with him, and takes all the BS bestowed upon her- from her cousin to her husband, from her MIL to OW- while maintaining silence. Oh and the H continually tries to end arguments by assaulting the heroine without consent.
Honestly, I wanted h to end up with OM- Miles (the OW's brother) or Ben (the H's stepbrother)-well that is until their fist fight injures her- but not the H. She deserved so much more. The H throughout the book calls her ugly, slut shames her - how romantic is that.
There is the last half where the couple fly to a remote island, finally copulate and the H discovers the hymen- that his behavior improves a little. And that is the sole reason this is not a 1 star read.
Loads of OW drama after that, and final revelations of truth- where the h was still *very* naive and H was finally humane.
I honestly had a hard time believing his change of heart. I mean, is virginity SO magical that it turns a man from a total dickhead, to a normal (but crazy) human being?!
Meh.
SWE
2/5
Umm..Nah.
Basically, our h is a plain looking waif. She was a rich orphan, who got taken in by her uncle- who soon passed away, handing her down to his evil wife and daughter. They treat her dirt and keep her at their farm as hired help. When her model cousin gets engaged to our H, the h is relieved as she'd soon be free of her barbs and taunts. But the cousin seems to be cheating on the H with OM (while telling the H that OM is h's boyfriend)- and soon the H catches up- and forces h to marry him.
He whisks her away to Barbados, forces her to get a makeover, dumps his shitty stepsister and stepmother on her, taunts OW at her faces and abandons her as she's too plain and ugly.The *cough* stupid *cough* h is in love with him, and takes all the BS bestowed upon her- from her cousin to her husband, from her MIL to OW- while maintaining silence. Oh and the H continually tries to end arguments by assaulting the heroine without consent.
Honestly, I wanted h to end up with OM- Miles (the OW's brother) or Ben (the H's stepbrother)-well that is until their fist fight injures her- but not the H. She deserved so much more. The H throughout the book calls her ugly, slut shames her - how romantic is that.
There is the last half where the couple fly to a remote island, finally copulate and the H discovers the hymen- that his behavior improves a little. And that is the sole reason this is not a 1 star read.
Loads of OW drama after that, and final revelations of truth- where the h was still *very* naive and H was finally humane.
I honestly had a hard time believing his change of heart. I mean, is virginity SO magical that it turns a man from a total dickhead, to a normal (but crazy) human being?!
Meh.
SWE
2/5
June 20, 2017
Dang it, it started off so well how they met, so entertaining and delightfully un-PC with all the trappings of a typical Pargeter-style novel.
Plain sweet hardworking Emma's stuck in a farm with a dead-end life, seemingly the punching bag for anyone passing by, especially her step sister and his fiance Rick. Now the sister is cheating on her fiance and uses her as a smokescreen. Rick however isn't buying it. Though he believes the stories of Emma's bad reputaion, he also can't help glimpsing the contrast of Emma's behaviour and his fiance's inconsistent lies. He gets the truth out of Emma in the worst way, a painful spanking (high cringe factor) and decides he will marry Emma out of vengeance to the spiteful stepsister.
Rick is an arrogant jerk and Emma a sweetheart undeserving of his cruel behaviour but she decides this is her ticket out of her sorry life and chooses this exit route. This really could have been a fun frying pan into a fire entertaining ride for Emma with Rick getting his comeuppance but it sidetracks into a ugly duckling beautiful swan story attracting suitors left and right and more cold step family on Rick's side. It lost me especially when Emma went overboard with the unnecessary martyr act. Great start, lacklustre middle, unmemorable finish.
Plain sweet hardworking Emma's stuck in a farm with a dead-end life, seemingly the punching bag for anyone passing by, especially her step sister and his fiance Rick. Now the sister is cheating on her fiance and uses her as a smokescreen. Rick however isn't buying it. Though he believes the stories of Emma's bad reputaion, he also can't help glimpsing the contrast of Emma's behaviour and his fiance's inconsistent lies. He gets the truth out of Emma in the worst way, a painful spanking (high cringe factor) and decides he will marry Emma out of vengeance to the spiteful stepsister.
Rick is an arrogant jerk and Emma a sweetheart undeserving of his cruel behaviour but she decides this is her ticket out of her sorry life and chooses this exit route. This really could have been a fun frying pan into a fire entertaining ride for Emma with Rick getting his comeuppance but it sidetracks into a ugly duckling beautiful swan story attracting suitors left and right and more cold step family on Rick's side. It lost me especially when Emma went overboard with the unnecessary martyr act. Great start, lacklustre middle, unmemorable finish.
August 22, 2012
I Really Can't understand in which point Emma can falling in Love with Rick...
Because Rick behavior is really rude, snob, violent and not in kinda sweet little rough because he is jealous...
even if he mad to Emma cousin, who betray him, it's nothing to do with emma...He taunt Emma both physical and emotional...His family is not better than him, except his younger brother...
i just think how this woman falling in love to man who grab her arm,wrist, or waist until it leave bruises.... No excuse for Rick Behavior....
Simple Word to said, Rick is Bully...
Because Rick behavior is really rude, snob, violent and not in kinda sweet little rough because he is jealous... even if he mad to Emma cousin, who betray him, it's nothing to do with emma...He taunt Emma both physical and emotional...His family is not better than him, except his younger brother...i just think how this woman falling in love to man who grab her arm,wrist, or waist until it leave bruises.... No excuse for Rick Behavior....
Simple Word to said, Rick is Bully...
October 13, 2014
MP really had it in for our undernourished, coarse skin, unpretty handed heroine. Not only is she used and abused by everyone in this book but I don't think I've come across another HP heroine who is hit so often, not only by the hero but also by both men who claim to love her(accidently of course, but Pargeter must of taken great pleasure in writing that scene hehehe!).
March 18, 2017
Another wonderful vintage HP with the overbearing alpha male and the much younger, innocent heroine that he man handles and treats like she is nothing.
The h meets the H when he got engaged to her very sophisticated cousin. It was antipathy at first sight. She disliked him but felt sorry for him because her cousin was cheating on him with the local sleaze ball.
The H came to their farm unexpectedly and suspecting that his fiancée was up to no good he demanded to know where she was. The h refused to tell him and he grabbed her and spanked her like a child, forcing her to tell him what was going on.
Upon learning that his beautiful fiancée was with another man in Paris, he decided to get his revenge by marrying the h, his fiancée's mousy, unattractive cousin. This leads to a life of misery for her.
The H was a bully. He just rode roughshod over this poor girl. He was nasty and cruel. He allowed his family to treat her like dirt, and constantly told her how unattractive she was.
She was no better because she allowed him to believe things said about her by her vindictive cousin, allowed him to treat her like she was a whore and just accepted the way his family treated her. Granted she was young an innocent but having the backbone to manage a farm should have given her the courage to stand up for herself.
If you're looking for angst and old fashioned machoism, this is a book for you! I enjoyed every moment of it and can highly recommend it!
The h meets the H when he got engaged to her very sophisticated cousin. It was antipathy at first sight. She disliked him but felt sorry for him because her cousin was cheating on him with the local sleaze ball.
The H came to their farm unexpectedly and suspecting that his fiancée was up to no good he demanded to know where she was. The h refused to tell him and he grabbed her and spanked her like a child, forcing her to tell him what was going on.
Upon learning that his beautiful fiancée was with another man in Paris, he decided to get his revenge by marrying the h, his fiancée's mousy, unattractive cousin. This leads to a life of misery for her.
The H was a bully. He just rode roughshod over this poor girl. He was nasty and cruel. He allowed his family to treat her like dirt, and constantly told her how unattractive she was.
She was no better because she allowed him to believe things said about her by her vindictive cousin, allowed him to treat her like she was a whore and just accepted the way his family treated her. Granted she was young an innocent but having the backbone to manage a farm should have given her the courage to stand up for herself.
If you're looking for angst and old fashioned machoism, this is a book for you! I enjoyed every moment of it and can highly recommend it!
May 14, 2012
This is one of those stories where the lead is an unrepentant asshole up until the last quarter of the book and the groveling is half-assed and the plain Jane heroine is actually gorgeous and leads to said asshole male to feel justified of his treatment up until he realizes she's a martyr. her cousin is a selfish twit and yet the main character keeps trying to defend her. Oy.
and yet, the angst is just so good and I mean it's frustrating but at the same time you want to eat it up. 2.5/3 stars.
and yet, the angst is just so good and I mean it's frustrating but at the same time you want to eat it up. 2.5/3 stars.
February 6, 2019
That was just loony. From beginning to end, the hero sucks. There is not a single scene, line, action that he says that a reader can go 'hmm I get it'. None. He is not a hero. Why did the heroine marry his ass? There was no logical reason. "I wanted to escape the farm"? No you didn't. And too many random villains trying to stick their nose in and other dudes who are 'in love' with the heroine after she does nothing to encourage them. Dumb. Skip it if you want to keep your iq.
September 19, 2024
Margaret Pargeter never fails in her writing style even if the story is not that interesting. This novel started in a very interesting way, but once I reached the third chapter I was hooked! I recommend it.
February 6, 2021
First of all: I love vintage HP books. I like the old HP books of the 80’s and 90’s a lot more than I like the modern HP books. So I can take a cruel H and some physical interactions.
But this is a jerk, SOB, nasty H who keeps insulting how the poor h looks. The first time he sees her naked breasts, he makes a mean comment that her breasts are so small. He says to her that she is jealous of her cousin because her cousin is beautiful and she’s not. He never says nice things to her, he never pursues her.
He spanks her butt when she doesn’t want to tell him the truth about her cousin. I can take a HP spanking if the man is otherwise smitten, like in Helen Bianchin’s old HP books. But this man isn’t smitten at all.
She is 19 and he is 35. He has been with several women, yet he is the one who keeps slut-shaming a 19 year old girl. It doesn’t make any sense.
And it felt a bit dirty that he did her cousin too.
But this is a jerk, SOB, nasty H who keeps insulting how the poor h looks. The first time he sees her naked breasts, he makes a mean comment that her breasts are so small. He says to her that she is jealous of her cousin because her cousin is beautiful and she’s not. He never says nice things to her, he never pursues her.
He spanks her butt when she doesn’t want to tell him the truth about her cousin. I can take a HP spanking if the man is otherwise smitten, like in Helen Bianchin’s old HP books. But this man isn’t smitten at all.
She is 19 and he is 35. He has been with several women, yet he is the one who keeps slut-shaming a 19 year old girl. It doesn’t make any sense.
And it felt a bit dirty that he did her cousin too.
April 23, 2020
I'll marry you instead," he told her
Rick Conway would go to any lengths to get his revenge on Emma's beautiful but faithless cousin. And though Emma was thunderstruck and offended at his cold proposal, she soon overcame her scruples.
It would be a temporary arrangement, Rick claimed, and it would be a way of escaping her life of impoverished drudgery.
All Emma had to do was sustain her dislike of him. And that was when her problems began!
Rick Conway would go to any lengths to get his revenge on Emma's beautiful but faithless cousin. And though Emma was thunderstruck and offended at his cold proposal, she soon overcame her scruples.
It would be a temporary arrangement, Rick claimed, and it would be a way of escaping her life of impoverished drudgery.
All Emma had to do was sustain her dislike of him. And that was when her problems began!
March 7, 2018
I have yet to figure out HOW she fell in love with him when he never once treated her well. The whole book made me WTF all the way. I usually like angst and ugly ducking romances, but this one..... it was a doozy filled with improbable events on top of insanity.
November 6, 2015
Every other character, except for maybe the MC herself and the servants seemed hell bent on being cruel & douche to her. I hate the male lead, Rick; he's a sexist pig.
July 13, 2013
Any okay read. Though the hero was too much and the girl an absolute doormat.
May 5, 2024
H was horrible to her for most of the book, until the last 5 pages. I like me a crual hero but he s got to have a hidden soft spot for the h, otherwise its not romance. this one was too much even by my standards, me the hero lover and I hated how the heroine was too meek and accepted everything he threw her way without a word.
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